Creators at the US Open are getting loud, and the umpire is tired of it

During Naomi Osaka's match against Anastasia Zakharova at the US Open, a pack of influencers set up ring lights in the luxury suite. Enough of a nuisance that the umpire paused the match and told them to quiet down. Elsewhere, creators were asking staff to snap full-flash photos while the actual playing happened.

The USTA is already preparing for more. Media operations director Jeanmarie Daly said the Open is almost doubling the number of content creators it lets in this year. More creators means more noise — literally.

It's the same story happening in every major event right now. The line between attending and being the content is blurring. You can see it in the ring lights, the phone flashes, the side conversations happening while the sport is supposed to be playing.

The USTA is trying to manage it. But the trend is bigger than one tournament.

Why this matters for us: when public spaces fill with people filming instead of watching, the rest of us get squeezed out — especially the folks who actually pay to attend, not just to post.